If marketing is a Battle against Consumer Cynicism, is Market Research's 'Voice of the Consumer' really Friendly Fire?

Discusses Consumer Cynicism, about which marketers complain. Argues that marketers are mistaken in regarding such cynicism as wholly negative, and to be overcome by even more strident communication and PR (which in turn will be questioned the same way).

If Marketing is a Battle against Consumer Cynicism, is Market Research's 'Voice of the Consumer' really Friendly Fire?

Nick Southgate Cogent Elliott

Introduction

The inspiration for this paper was twofold. One frequently heard the complaint from people within the marketing community that 'consumers had become more cynical'. A widely reported Marketing Society survey of 300 of its members published in November 2003 showed that 66% now thought consumers were cynical about marketing. Further, 77% thought consumers trusted corporates less, and 86% thatconsumers had higher...

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